


The City Never Sleeps; It Hibernates

by Gracefully



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Sorry Not Sorry, also i wanted tony to be single so pepper left him, don't take the relationships tags very seriously, this is rambling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-28 08:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2725955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gracefully/pseuds/Gracefully
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Steve moves into the newly finished Avengers Tower, an old acquaintance makes himself known.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The City Never Sleeps; It Hibernates

**Author's Note:**

> Don't even pay attention to this. This is rambling that I wrote on my phone on an airplane. If I ever get around to it, I may continue it, but don't count on it.

The fog has crept in, not on cats paws, but on the lion's roar, and it is the loudest quiet the city has ever been in Steve's life. He walks, hands in pockets and eyes on the sidewalk ahead of him. The move to the avengers tower is going slowly, probably because Steve doesn't trust movers, and Tony flying all of his stuff in the suit is not a covert option. Steve only has three boxes of possessions he wants to keep, anyway. The room at the tower came fully furnished, and Steve would rather leave all of the furniture that came with his apartment.

Two of the three boxes are possessions of his from the war, with some of Bucky's stuff mixed in. Their uniforms are there, and Steve's old costume. There's a folder filled with candids of them, the howling commandos, Peggy, and others from that time. All of them, even the most benign, turn Steve's stomach.

He rounds a corner, the apartment building coming into view. There's a figure perched on his front steps, head bowed, eyes covered by the baseball cap the figure wears. He is wearing a hoodie and ratty jeans, and at first Steve thinks it's a homeless man who has decided to set up camp on his front steps.

As he steps closer, the figure looks up, and Steve feels his heart skip a beat in combination of surprise, relief, and thankfulness.

Bucky looks like he hasn't slept in a week, dark bags under his red-rimmed eyes. His form is weary and worn, hair hanging in lank strands around his face. He has rough stubble that looks patchy and uneven. Steve's mind flashes to the pristine soldier who saw him off, a lifetime and only a few years ago.

Steve realizes that he's stopped in tracks, mouth hanging open, arms slack at his side. He wants to say something, anything, but Bucky beats him to it.

He stands, recognition and relief flickering in his eyes, and says, quietly, like an affirmation, "Steve" and that's all it takes before Steve is rushing forward, closing the gap between them like its nothing. In the moment, he forgets the risk, he forgets everything. He pulls Bucky's form close in a rough, rib cage- crushing hug. He feels Bucky stiffen for a moment, unsure, before his arms come up and grip Steve like he's the only solid island in a stormy sea.

Steve feels like he has asthma again, his lungs feel so non-functional.

Bucky smells like gasoline and sweat, and it burns Steve's nose, but he clings tighter, afraid that if he lets go first, he'll be letting go forever. Bucky is the first to pull away, and Steve hesitantly lets him, staying close.

"I have to warn you," Bucky says, and he sounds like a fraction of his past self, and it hurts Steve more than any punch ever could. "I'm remembering some things, but not all. I might never remember it all, but from what I remember, I trust you, and frankly, I want to be with someone I trust."

The words feel like warm honey in Steve, but he doesn't want to act too quickly and scare this evasive shadow of a man away. However, he still understands the risk. Bucky will probably never be the same, and he probably won't remember it all.

Steve nods and unlocks the door to his apartment, signaling for Bucky to follow him inside. Bucky hesitates for a moment, eyes darting all around the interior before he follows Steve, but Steve notices it nonetheless. It's the look you give when scouting an area for potential enemies. He's seen it many a time.

Steve leads them to his room, which is monkish in its simplicity. "I'm currently in the process of moving into the avengers tower." He explains lamely, gesturing feebly at the boxes. "The place is huge, and you're always welcome." He says softly, the invitation obvious.

"Do you trust the people who live there?" Bucky asks, emphasis on the you. Steve grins at the thought of Tony, alone now that Pepper has left him, occupying the lower 10 or so levels. Banner stays in his corner for the most part, and Thor and Jane keep to themselves in the upper levels, in between trips to Asgard and such. Clint and Natasha share a large suite somewhere on the east side of the building, but that's all Steve knows. He knows that Natasha will leave for weeks at a time, only to show up one morning in the kitchen, back from whatever corner of the world she's been in.

"Yeah." He says, deciding then and there that he does. "With everything that's happened, I think I finally know who I can trust." Sam Wilson and Director Fury flash into his mind, before they fade.

Bucky nods, and he looks like a small child, following a parent to an unknown destination, but trusting their judgement nonetheless. Steve realizes, with what feels like a punch to his throat, that Bucky probably doesn't remember ever feeling safe or secure or really know where he's going because he's found out on his own.

Steve pulls out his iPhone, a recent gift from Natasha, and calls one of his 10 contacts. Tony picks up on the second ring.

"Helloooo Cap." Tony greets him. He sounds, as always, flirtatious and cocky.

"I found him." Steve says, without preamble or introduction. He feels a smile spread onto his face at the next statement. "I found Bucky.

 

Bucky helps Steve carry the boxes the 10 or so blocks to the avengers tower, not even a blink of strain crossing his face as his mechanical arm does most of the heavy lifting for him. They don't speak as they walk. The tower looms up in front of them, magnificent in its asymmetrical glory. Tony greets them at the front door in his usual style.

As he walks down the front stairs, the iron man suit disassembles around him, revealing first his face, then his torso and legs. He's wearing a long sleeved shirt and sweats to fight off the cold, but his manner suggests gold crowns and bowing servants.

He contemplates Bucky for a moment before saying slowly, "So you're the famous Bucky Barnes." It sounds (miraculously) judgement-free.

Bucky nods, looking awkward and defensive in his ratty hoodie and jeans. He looks a bit like a cornered animal, and Steve hates that look with all his might and soul.

The tower is mainly unfinished, and they go around most of Tony's domain by way of the elevator, but they do get shown the kitchen (extensive and far too modern for Steve) and the main living room.

Tony babbles about this and that, and about the many features of their rooms, but Steve's mind is in too much turmoil to really process any of it. Tony leads them up to their rooms, two adjoining bedrooms with a shared bathroom between them. Both are outfitted with a bed, closet, desk, and couch. They set the boxes down in the middle of the floor in what is to be Steve's room, before Tony cuts to the chase.

"As a scientist slash inventor slash engineer, I need to look at that arm of yours, Barnes.

 

Overall, Steve keeps coming back to Tony's eyes. They're crazy dark, lighter than Howard's, but they express so much emotion, it's incredible. His eyes have the emotional serenity for the silent films that Steve and Bucky saw when they were young.

Right now, they're alight, curious, as he moves around Bucky, scanner in hand. They flit back and forth, all over Bucky's worn and weary form. He's trying to put on a brave front, but the confusion and fear in his expression wins out, and overall he looks defeated. He's taken his hoodie and shirt off at Tonys request, to see the joint between flesh and metal, and he looks self conscious and awkward in his skin. Steve hurts for him.

"Do you have any idea how they made your arm?" Tony asks, and though he's trying to remain calm, Steve can hear the underlying excitement. The child has been given a new toy engine to piece together, and the child couldn't be happier.

Bucky shakes his head, a strand of his too-long hair falling out from behind his ear and falling into his eyes. "I'm not sure if they ever told me." He says, voice quiet, hesitant.

"And if they did, I wouldn't remember." The last part is bitter, all too certain.

Steve is leaning up against the table Bucky is sitting on, arms crossed, gnawing nervously on his lip. Tony finally pauses by Bucky's mechanical arm. He gently lifts it so that Bucky is holding it out horizontally from his side.

"Can you feel this?" Tony asks, pressing the tips of his fingers into Bucky's palm.

Bucky shakes his head. "I can feel the pressure in my shoulder, but I can't feel things on my fingers or hand." He hesitates, other hand curling in his lap. "I can control it like I control my other arm, they hooked it up to the nerves somehow, but it doesn't go the other way."

Tony nods, face calm, eyes sparkling with barely contained excitement.

He has his father's looks, Steve thinks, but he looks much more fit for this day and age. He has a modern haircut, and Steve hasn't seen him dressed in anything pre 1980 yet.

"Hey Cap," Tony starts, slowly dragging his scanner up the mechanical arm, "what metal is your shield made of?"

"It's an adamantium vibranium alloy." Steve answers. "It's harder and stronger than steel.

"How likely is it that your arm is made of the same metal?" Tony ask Bucky, pausing his scanner just above the elbow.

Bucky shakes his head. "It was able to go head to head with Steve's shield." He states blankly.

Tony simply nods, continuing the scan up to his shoulder, where the red star sits like a stamp of ownership. The border between flesh and metal is red an puckered, and it looks quite painful to Steve. Tony continues scanning, up past his collarbone. Steve can see the excitement about to bubble over, and sure enough, because Tony couldn't stop talking even if he was gagged, it does.

"Does it thread up into your collarbone, or does it go even further, maybe into your spine? What wiring could connect your brain to a metal arm? How in hell's name did hydra think of this in the 40s or 50s? Oh my gosh, my internal engineer is busy palpitating right now, and I think my brain is moving faster than my suit can fly. Oh my god, how is this beautiful piece of technology not pulling your internal organs out?"

Steve pushes off from the table, laying a steady hand on Tonys shoulder. "Stark, I think that's enough for right now."

Tony stills, eyes meeting Steve's without faltering. Steve can see him concede, and he immediately pulls away from Bucky, pocketing the scanner. "You're right. Barnes, I'm sorry if I ever overstepped my boundaries. I tend to do that on accident."

Steve feels a pang for Tony at the last part, but he feels even worse when Bucky replies with a twist of his lip,

"It's okay, I'm used to it."

There's a painfully raw moment, before Bucky asks, "Wait, did Steve call you stark? As in Howard stark?"

"You remember?" Steve asks, surprised. Howard and Bucky had kept a polite distance back in the day, Steve is surprised that Bucky can remember him.

"Barely." Bucky answers. "Should I?" He asks, a small pinch of fear and confusion coloring his face.

Steve shakes his head. "No, you two didn't know one another that well."

Steve can see the wounded, defensive look that crosses Tony's eyes and face at the mention of his fathers name. He feels hot anger flare up inside him at the thought of Howard, rude genius Howard stark, doing things to his son so horrific that as a grown man, Tony is obviously still shaken and hurt.

Bucky sees the look, too.

"Yeah, Howard was my father." Tony says quietly, turning away in an attempt to appear busy. Bucky shoots a look at Steve, and Steve shoots one of his own back, with a silent 'I'll tell you later' apparent.

Tony clears his throat and turns back, a too-chipper look plastered on his face.

"Well, I think we're mostly done here. I need to run some tests, and you two should get settled in."


End file.
